Packaging

SkyeTek Launches MetaFi Application for RFID-Based Sales Chain Optimization

Tuesday 26. August 2008 - Groundbreaking Solution Provides Real-Time Visibility of Field-Based Inventory and Employees by Coupling Hosted Software with Mobile and RFID

SkyeTek, Inc., the leading provider of embedded RFID solutions for field-based applications, today announced the introduction of MetaFi, an application service for sales chain optimization, enabling manufacturers to dramatically improve the visibility of goods as they move outside the factory to customer locations. While much of the attention in the RFID market has focused on the cost savings from supply chain optimization — SkyeTek’s sales chain application substantially increases revenue and distribution efficiency by providing accurate, real-time data on field-based inventory and employees. The increased visibility results in fewer out-of-stocks, higher inventory turns, increased sales productivity, faster invoice-to-cash cycles, and proactive removal of expired or defective products.

“SkyeTek’s historic success in developing an embedded RFID reader platform for use in field based products allows us to uniquely understand the requirements of a turn-key application that provides real-time visibility to inventory and employees throughout the sales chain,” said Rob Balgley, CEO or SkyeTek. “Our decision to add a business application to our existing portfolio was driven by our installed base of customers who need software to fully leverage the new data streams created from deploying readers onto their customers’ premises.”

Manufacturers currently struggle to gather accurate and timely data on inventory levels throughout the sales chain due to manual tracking methods used inconsistently by time-constrained field sales and service representatives. MetaFi leverages RFID and wireless technologies to provide manufacturers with the means to automatically collect, analyze, and act on real-time data from mobile field representatives and remotely located smart- containers including cabinets, totes, and shelves.

“Many RFID vendors and market observers continue to focus on technological minutiae, but the users we’ve surveyed and interviewed tell us loudly and clearly that to them, ‘RFID’ is about ‘real-time, fully integrated data’ they can use to improve their businesses,” said Michael Dortch, senior analyst, Aberdeen Group. “SkyeTek’s MetaFi solution responds to the top challenges facing RFID users — easing the integration and maximizing the business value of RFID-generated data, to help turn that data into higher revenues and better business processes.”

The ROI generated by MetaFi impacts the following areas across the company:

— Sales and service reclaim lost productivity by spending less time taking inventory while also increasing accuracy and frequency of data collected

— Operations reduces out-of-stocks, over-stocks, and shrinkage while increasing inventory turns and SLA achievement

— Finance reduces working capital, increases return-on-assets, and accelerates cash collection cycles

— Legal improves regulatory compliance and decreases liability related to product expiration and recalls

MetaFi is a purpose-built, horizontal field inventory management application that allows:

— Consumer goods manufacturers to augment direct-to-store delivery (DSD) operations

— Industrial goods manufacturers to improve the efficiency of their vendor-managed inventory (VMI) initiatives

— Medical device manufacturers to optimize consignment and loaner processes used at hospitals

— Service providers (eg, utilities, transportation lines, IT managed services) to improve field productivity and SLA attainment

In all cases, MetaFi delivers extraordinary ROI with payback typically in six months or less.